NEW DELHI: Kuldeep Yadav celebrated his 29th birthday in style by taking a career-best 5/17 in the third and final T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Thursday.
Kuldeep became only the second Indian bowler to pick up multiple five-wicket hauls in T20Is after Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He became the first Indian spinner to reach the landmark.
Both Kuldeep and Bhuvneshwar have two fifers in T20Is.
Kuldeep expressed surprise at the spin available in the match saying that the South African wickets, which are usually fast and bounce, are also good for spinners on the current trip.
"It turned out to be a special day. I have never thought about taking five wickets. I just wanted the team to win which is more important," Kuldeep said.
"I was concerned about my bowling because I was playing after sometime, so wanted to get my rhythm. It was perfect today. The ball was coming out well from the hand and the conditions too suited the spinners a bit."
1/10:3rd T20I: SKY hits ton as India level SA series
AFP
2/10:Suryakumar Yadav
<p>Suryakumar Yadav hit a dazzling century as India levelled their series against South Africa with a crushing 106-run win in the third and final T20I at the Wanderers on Thursday. </p>AFP
3/10:Man of the Match
<p>Suryakumar made a 100 in a total of 201 for seven after India were sent in to bat. </p>AFP
4/10:Kuldeep Yadav
<p>South Africa crashed to 95 all out with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav taking a career-best five for 17 on his 29th birthday. </p>AP
5/10:4th T20I ton
<p>The Indian captain thrashed eight sixes and seven fours in making his fourth T20 international century off 55 balls. </p>Getty Images
6/10:3 quick wickets
<p>Suryakumar was caught at deep square leg off the next ball as India lost three wickets, including a run-out, in the final over, bowled by Lizaad Williams. </p>Reuters
7/10:Ravindra Jadeja
<p>With Suryakumar off the field with a twisted left ankle, Ravindra Jadeja took over the captaincy and dismissed South Africa captain Aiden Markram with his first ball. </p>Getty Images
8/10:4 wickets off 7 balls
<p>Jadeja took two for 25 as Kuldeep ripped through the lower order, taking the last four wickets off seven balls. </p>Getty Images
9/10:4th-wicket stand
<p>Suryakumar and Yashasvi Jaiswal (60) punished the bowling in a fourth-wicket stand of 112 off 70 balls. </p>Reuters
10/10:Keshav Maharaj
<p>Suryakumar went out to bat after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took two wickets off successive balls in the third over. </p>ReutersIndia defeated South Africa by 106 runs to square the three-match T20 series at 1-1. Kuldeep finished with 5/17 from 2.5 overs.
"To be very honest, the wickets are very good for the spinners. The good thing about these wickets are that the ball comes very quickly after pitching. So sometimes, you have to vary your variations and if you get it right then it is very difficult to pick," he added.
Kuldeep last played a game in South Africa in 2018, but his career was put on hold for six to seven months in 2021 due to a knee ailment that required surgery.
Nevertheless, he made a successful comeback to the field using a fresh method.
"In 2018, I was very new and after that, couple of years I struggled with my injury and post surgery I came back and made a few changes in my bowling, especially in my run-up. Trying to be more aggressive and just trying to bowl much straighter and focussing on length," Kuldeep said.
Like his teammates, Kuldeep needed some time to recover from his defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final.
"Starting was really difficult. First 7 to 10 days were really tough. Whenever I was waking up, the thought of losing the World Cup final was haunting me. But life changes and moves on. I got an opportunity to play in South Africa, I last played here in 2018 so I knew the conditions well," he said.
"In cricket what you want never happens and you have to learn from them and implement those in future matches."
India's 201/7, which the Proteas were unable to chase down after being bowled for 95 in 13.5 overs, was made possible by captain Suryakumar Yadav's explosive 55-ball hundred.
"Surya bhai batted brilliantly. The way he was batting was great to watch because the pitch was not that easy for batting. It was really a treat to watch him bat," Kuldeep said.
The tour will now shift to three-match ODI series starting Sunday in Johannesburg.
